After Redeeming the Paranoid Villain [Transmigration] - Chapter 17

“It is just,” Su Yu began, so nervous that he did not know what to say. He stared at his feet, and in an instant, a cold sweat broke out. He had always been poorly equipped to handle situations like this.

“Are you worried about me?” Gu Chen asked softly. A hint of a smile, one that even he had not noticed, played on his lips.

Su Yu looked up at Gu Chen in shock. He wondered if Gu Chen could somehow hear his inner thoughts.

Gu Chen’s light chuckle reached him. “I cannot hear you, but Su Yu, have you not realized? Your expressions are far too easy to read. Anyone could guess what you are thinking.”

Su Yu felt as though his face had caught fire. He was so embarrassed that even the tips of his ears turned a deep crimson. Seeing this, the corners of Gu Chen’s mouth curled up slightly.

“Your ears,” Gu Chen said, his voice carrying a trace of genuine amusement.

Su Yu looked at him blankly and uttered a confused, “Huh?”

Gu Chen raised his hand. He pointed his long, elegant fingers toward his own ear and said, “Your ears are red.”

Su Yu’s eyes widened. He quickly raised his hands to cover his ears, but the more he tried to hide, the more his shame became apparent. The crimson from his ears spread across his cheeks. Feeling the familiar heat on his face, Su Yu had no choice but to shield his face with his hands. However, his red-tipped ears remained exposed to Gu Chen’s gaze.

Only when Gu Chen sensed that Su Yu was so flustered he might actually cry did he finally withdraw his gaze. He said softly, “I will stop teasing you.”

Su Yu peeked through the gaps between his fingers. Seeing that Gu Chen was no longer staring, he finally lowered his hands. Although Gu Chen had looked away, he continued to watch Su Yu from his peripheral vision as the younger man stood by the bed.

Su Yu’s face was still tinged with a faint pink. His shy appearance stirred something in Gu Chen’s heart, making him want to say something inappropriate just to see Su Yu blush further. However, the thought vanished as quickly as it had arrived. He did not have the heart to tease Su Yu that much.

“Is it not tiring to stand for so long?” Gu Chen asked. He patted the edge of the bed and added, “Sit down.”

Su Yu looked at Gu Chen hesitantly, not daring to take a seat. Guessing Su Yu’s thoughts, Gu Chen asked with a smile, “Are you afraid?”

Su Yu shook his head vigorously.

“Are you afraid that I am hiding a knife again?” Gu Chen asked, completely ignoring Su Yu’s denial.

This time, Su Yu shook his head even harder. Gu Chen realized that Su Yu was indeed terrified of him. Thinking back to how he had treated Su Yu not long ago, a pang of guilt rose in Gu Chen’s heart.

“I am sorry,” Gu Chen said suddenly.

The apology caught Su Yu off guard. “Sorry for what?”

“For pointing a knife at you that day. I am sorry,” Gu Chen replied. His voice remained cool, but Su Yu could hear a deliberate tenderness within it. “I have been hyper-sensitive since the accident. Just consider it a result of me being too paranoid.”

Su Yu nodded blankly.

“Su Yu,” Gu Chen called out.

“Yes?”

“As long as you remain loyal to me, that knife will never be pointed at you again.”

Gu Chen spoke quietly, but Su Yu heard a tone of absolute sincerity. Looking at Gu Chen’s softened attitude, Su Yu bit his lip. His days of pouring his heart out to Gu Chen had finally led to the man opening up. He wondered if this counted as progress.

Su Yu sniffled slightly, his voice sounding a bit choked. “Okay.”

Seeing that Su Yu was on the verge of tears again, Gu Chen felt a sense of panic. He was not generally afraid of people crying, but for some reason, he was terrified of Su Yu’s tears.

“Do not cry,” Gu Chen said hurriedly. He sat up and handed a tissue to Su Yu.

Su Yu took the tissue and insisted stubbornly, “I am not crying. You saw it wrong.”

Helpless, Gu Chen could only coax him as if he were a child. “I understand. Our Su Yu is the strongest, is he not?”

Gu Chen had never comforted anyone before, but he had seen others comfort children, so he naturally defaulted to that behavior. It was only when he saw Su Yu’s shocked expression that he realized his wording was unusual. Subconsciously, he had already categorized Su Yu as his own by referring to him as “Our Su Yu.”

Even the usually composed Gu Chen looked flustered. Avoiding Su Yu’s eyes, he stammered, “It is late. You should go and get some rest.”

Su Yu had originally been worried about Gu Chen. Seeing that he was fine, he felt relieved and followed Gu Chen’s suggestion to leave the room. Just as Su Yu was about to close the door, Gu Chen’s voice came from inside.

“Su Yu, the next time you come to my room, you do not have to be so indirect about it.”

Su Yu paused in his tracks. Then, he heard Gu Chen’s light chuckle. “Otherwise, I will truly believe you are a rice bucket reincarnated.”

Blushing furiously, Su Yu ran out. Even after returning to his own room, the heat on his face did not dissipate. He touched his burning cheeks. For some reason lately, his heart would race uncontrollably whenever he saw Gu Chen, especially when Gu Chen spoke to him in that low, cool voice. It was a sound that made him lose himself.

Su Yu seriously suspected he was a “voice-con.” Otherwise, how could he fail to control his heartbeat every time Gu Chen spoke? He lay on the bed for a while to calm down before going to take a shower.

As he walked out of the bathroom, his gaze fell on the business card on his nightstand. The scene of the manager handing it to him today flashed back into his mind.

“The entertainment industry?” Su Yu murmured while drying his hair.

Su Yu saw himself as an ordinary person. His understanding of the entertainment industry was limited to glamorous stars, endless red carpets, and spotlights. He had never imagined that someone would approach him to become a celebrity. Thinking of this, Su Yu instinctively touched his face. The words of the manager, Li Wen, echoed in his mind. The man had said he possessed a “noble aura” that other stars lacked.

Since coming to this world, Su Yu had looked in the mirror and found that the Su Yu of this world looked exactly like him. However, in his past life, no one had ever approached him on the street, let alone asked him to be a star.

Su Yu looked down at his hands. These fingers were slender and elegant, clearly the hands of a well-cared-for wealthy young master. They were nothing like his hands from his previous life, which had been covered in scars. Su Yu bit his lip. He knew he was only being favored because he occupied the body of the Su Yu in this book. He was not a wealthy young master, nor was he truly a child of the Su family. He was just a thief who had shamelessly stolen Su Yu’s body.

A wave of guilt washed over him. He lowered his eyes and whispered, “I am sorry.”

Su Yu eventually fell into a heavy sleep, but it was not peaceful. His dreams were filled with screams, endless blood, and a cold, rainy night. Everything was so terrifying it felt suffocating.

When he opened his eyes again, it was already morning. The nightmare had left him feeling unwell, and he was covered in a sticky, uncomfortable sweat. Su Yu rolled out of bed and headed to the bathroom to wash up, finally shaking off the remnants of the dream.

When Su Yu went downstairs, Gu Chen was already sitting in the dining room. Gu Chen only picked up his knife and fork after seeing Su Yu arrive.

“Eat your breakfast,” Gu Chen said.

Su Yu looked at Gu Chen. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to tell him about the person who gave him the business card. Upon hearing Su Yu’s words, Gu Chen’s movements paused for a second before he resumed eating. He said calmly, “If you are willing, go ahead and try it.”

Su Yu looked at him in shock. “You are okay with me going out?”

“Why would I not be?” Gu Chen answered naturally.

“I thought you would be the traditional, overbearing type who would not want me appearing in public. I thought it might make you lose face if people knew about our marriage.”

Su Yu voiced the concerns in his heart. In the original novel, this marriage was described as a farce. Everyone watched as the high and mighty Gu Chen married a man, specifically the Su Yu that Gu Chen used to despise. This marriage had made them both the laughingstock of business banquets. It was a turning point that led to Gu Chen’s descent into darkness.

“I never thought of it that way,” Gu Chen said. He set down his utensils and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

“But,” Su Yu hesitated, ultimately staying silent. He felt as though Gu Chen seemed a little unhappy.

Before Su Yu could finish, Gu Chen maneuvered his wheelchair to leave. He looked at Su Yu and spoke in a voice as gentle as he could manage. “Do not overthink it, Su Yu. If you want to go out and make a name for yourself, I support you. If you fail, it does not matter. Just come back. Even in my current state, I can still afford to take care of you.”

Su Yu watched blankly as Gu Chen wheeled himself away. His mind was not as complex as Gu Chen’s, but he could not shake the feeling that Gu Chen was sad.

Gu Chen braced himself as he entered the elevator. The moment the doors closed, his strength seemed to crumble. He closed his eyes, looking utterly exhausted. He was, indeed, not very happy.